What Up, Damsel? - Toby In Terraria
by Randomsaurus
Summary: In the aftermath of the Blood Moon, a small village in Terraria is trying to amend the damage caused by the zombies. Gwen, the blacksmith's daughter, comes across a very strange man on her way to the nurse's house. Could he be the key to putting an end to the rising of the Blood Moon? Toby/ OC


Author's Notes:

There are two things that consume my spare time at the moment: Toby Turner and Fantasy fiction. So I thought why not slap the two together and see if they work by dropping him in a real-life world of Terraria (which I also love even if I do suck at it).

Disclaimer:

I do not own Toby/ Tobuscus, Gryphon or Terraria. I don't own the cover image either.

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**What up, Damsel? - Toby in Terraria**

**Chapter I: The Strange One**

The forge's fire was never allowed to die. If on the off chance it was not to be used- much like today- Gwendolyn had the job of scooping up the smouldering coals that dully twinkled from beneath a blanket of ash and rush them over to neighbouring households in an iron bloom box.

"Get a move on, Gwen," her father said. "By the time you get there the coals will be cold and dead." It went without saying that the kindle and gel needed to birth a new fire would be far too taxing both of time and of their dwindling resources.

"Yes, Pa," she said over her shoulder. Her voice sounded snippy even to her own ears, she quickly evened her tone, "I'll be as quick as I can." With a metal trowel, she scooped the embers and ash into a cast iron box that was used for holding the still hot and newly forged bloom of iron that could be drawn from ore.

"I imagine by the time you return I'll be below ground," he said.

With the remains of the fire in the bloom box, Gwen closed and fastened the lid. She rose from being stooped over the forge and turned to watch her father ready his supplies for the day ahead.

"Are you sure you must take to the mines again?" She wiped her hands on the apron worn over her skirts to rid them of soot.

"Folks need more building materials. It will be swifter if the village pools together in mining and logging."

"So few households do not make a village." The sadness in her voice caused the burly man before her to be still for a moment. So many lives had been lost. All the toil, time and effort that had been taken to build the small village of Tarnwood had seemed for naught for it had been effortlessly undone in a single night.

Oakley Tye Alexandros strode forward, his work boots clattering on the floorboards of the blacksmith workshop and quickly pulled his daughter into a tight yet brief hug. "With time that will change, lass." He turned and went back to readying his backpack.

Though his vow soothed the tightening in her chest, Gwen couldn't help but notice the feeling flaring into something brighter. "We rebuild so that the dead can return to destroy all we've wrought?" Gwen paced after him, the bloom box forgotten. "Does that not seem… futile?"

"That is life, Gwendolyn," he sighed, looking over at her with eyes that were red and dressed with deep hallows underneath them. "You are fortunate of having seen your first Blood Moon being a woman grown. I was just a boy when I first witnessed the skies bleeding red, when the rivers ran crimson and when the dead came to claim us all." His focus moved from her to the backpack once more as he fastened the buckle to secure it. "The other night may have been your first glimpse of the Blood Moon but I can assure you, sweetling, it won't be your last."

"There must be something we could do to stop it."

"There is little we can do but endure," he grunted as he slung on the backpack. "It is the willing of the gods." A copper pickaxe that was propped against the table leg was quickly snatched up in his hand. "Now, enough dawdling, go take the embers to the nurse's household, she will be in need of them to boil water."

_The gods are cruel,_ Gwen bitterly thought as she turned to pick up the bloom box. Two curved handles on either side of it meant she didn't have to worry about the slowly heating metal burning her fingers, although as a precaution she had tugged on her leather gauntlets.

She paused at her father's side as she moved to leave the workshop. Carefully rising on her tiptoes, she planted a kiss upon his stubbled cheek.

"Be careful, Pa." The Blood Moon may have been and gone but that didn't mean the undead were sated, she had heard many a story from the villagers of the zombies aimlessly roaming the mines and caves.

"To you the same, child. Stay on the path." He strode forward, reaching the oak door with two sharp strides and pushed it open for her. "And Gwen?" he said with a slight smile as she passed him.

"Yes?"

"Remember the lore of the Blood Moon: in times after such a night so grim do the gods gift those who endured with bouts of magic."

Gwen found herself returning his kind smile. She knew his words of hope were an attempt to brighten her spirit and yet she couldn't help but mumble as she walked off to the nurse's house, "It will take an act of magic to get Tarnwood back to her former greatness."

Her pace was quick as she walked from her home and forge along the path that weaved through the forest to the nurse's dwelling that sat nestled under a mammoth oak tree. The bright, mild weather seemed mocking, uncaring of the villagers' plight. The cheery sunlight casting small shadows on the ground where simple grave-markers made of wood jutted from mounts of freshly turned dirt. She hurried by, eyes forward and entered the mouth of the forest where the back end of Tarnwood sat.

This part of the village had been somewhat spared due to the undead drifting from the caves that where at the village's front. Even better, the nurse's house, a simple cottage of brick and wood, was sat on a lone track. The town had done this when it had first formed as a precaution for nights when the Blood Moon rose to ensure the medical aid wouldn't have to face the blunt of the horde of nightmarish creatures.

Quickening her steps, Gwen hurried down the sunlight dappled path. The foliage of the lofty trees rustling in the playful breeze. It was so peaceful and still in the forest, this tranquillity was the reason behind their settlement growing here.

A startled cry caused her attention to break from wondering how many days her father would have to be down in the mines. She slowed to a stop, eyes darting around the greenery of the forest. The yelp came again. It was that of a man's. Carefully setting the bloom box down, Gwen drew her weapon- a wooden sword. A rule of thumb in Tarnwood was that whether you were a man or maiden, you always had a weapon at your belt and knew how to wield it well enough to fend off corrupt creatures.

Cautiously straying from the path and heading in the direction of the commotion, she passed through the undergrowth. The shortsword was grasped with both hands, her eyes darting back and forth in hope to find the threat before it noticed her presence.

_I'm not a fledged fighter. I should just turn back, hurry to the nurse's house and forget I heard the cries._ Her dithering was disrupted by the sight of a monster- a Green Slime- preparing to pounce on its prey who was a strangely dressed fellow attempting to flee it by weaving in and out of the thick trunked trees. _For shame to think such, Gwen! The poor fool is without a weapon. _

Stepping out from the brush, she tightened her clutch on the sword's leather wrapped grip until it felt as if her knuckles would pop. All the while her mind whirled, attempting to recall the teachings of swordplay her father had drilled into her as a lass.

"I am your quarry, beast!" She stated loudly, her voice carrying well among the distant birdsong and rustle of leaves. "Leave him be."

"What the-?" The victim seemed baffled by her sudden appearance.

The Green Slime rose to her goading well enough, that or it had realised there was an easier target offering itself up now, and began to slide away from the stunned stranger with surprising swiftness.

She shifted into a battle ready stance, feet planted shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, core drawn tight, arms held strong and ready to shift to bring the sword sweeping up at a moment's notice. Her heart thrummed in her chest, pulse beating a rushed tempo in her ears, common sense screaming at her to flee.

Before she could raise her weapon to the menace, the stranger decided to interfere by throwing rocks at the thing. His make-shift arsenal smacked the dome like top of the monster's head with a wet thwack. The blob swirled round and decided to retaliate.

Sensing her opportunity, Gwen dashed forward, sword raised towards the green menace. With all her might she brought it down in a swooping slash upon its turned back and was rewarded with another stomach-turning wet slap. Tightening her grip once more, she moved to yank the wooden blade from the gelatinous mass. Her weapon wouldn't budge! Another few frantic tugs proved that the weapon was staying fast in the slimy flesh.

The Green Slim whipped round, the force of its movement effortlessly wrenching the now slime slick sword grip from her hand. In the near same instant it pounced, knocking her from her feet. The ground came up quick as she slammed down, her breath jerked from her lungs by the impact.

Despite her body being stunned her mind was alight. She could smell the damp mulch beneath her, taste the tang of blood spread across her tongue making her guess she had probably slip her lip. Her ringing ears made out the bizarre war-cry of the stranger as he hotly hollered sayings she couldn't even begin to fathom at their enemy. _Get up, Gwen! Get up, get up! It will eat you whole and spit out your bones before doing the same to that idiot fellow also!_

A cool, damp chill began to spread along her legs. Gwen struggled to lift her heard so that she caught a glimpse that confirmed it all- today would be the day she died, slain by a Green Slime, and all because she just _had_ to stray from the path to go to some fool's aid! The cold spread over her as the monster swept over her dazed body, its crushing weight causing her to cry out in pain. It felt as if an anvil was upon her chest, her bones would surely bow and break to its weight soon. _Pa's going to be so mad… He will be all alone now, I broke our promise. _

Her lungs failed to draw breath, feeling as if they were in a slowly closing vice. Her vision began to blur and then...

Air was able to rush into her lungs at a suddenly wonderful rate, the crushing pressure that had been on her chest gone. She gasped, spluttered and coughed as she attempted to remember how to breathe properly. The forest air was sweet- scents of flowers, stone and moss cut with the tang of pine. She greedily drew it all in oblivious to the slowly melting mass of Green Slime or the stranger knelt at her side, slightly stooped over checking if she was alright.

When she had recovered somewhat he helped her sit up, a hand slipping around her shoulders to steady her. She noticed in his free hand was her sword. Even though the adrenaline was rapidly wearing off allowing exhaustion to surge up fast and drag her into unconsciousness, she managed to fight it off a few moments more to ask, "Who.. are you?"

"Erm.." He frowned at the question posed as if it were a taxing one though his brow straightened and he chuckled to himself. As to what amused him she couldn't be sure- her question? The situation he was now in? The truth? Eventually he opted to answer in a friendly tone, "Hi, I'm Toby and I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be here."

"Then... what are you.. doing here?"

"Trying to find Gryphon."


End file.
